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Australia news


A record-breaking area of land has been burned in New South Wales this bushfire season, according to the latest figures released by the Rural Fire Service. A total of 4.9m hectares – an area larger than Denmark – has been destroyed in the state during the nationwide fire crisis. The total area burned across NSW, …

Falling levels of trust in our public institutions have become the backing track for the demise of the progressive political project and the rise of populist strongmen who promise to take back control. Government becomes a problem to be solved, a “bubble”, a “swamp” of compromised technocrats and bean-counters operating against the interests of hard-working …

It is no longer safe to have two standard drinks a day, Australian health officials have warned. Released just in time for Christmas, the National Health and Medical Research Council on Monday published a draft report which updated Australia’s alcohol guidelines for the first time since 2009. The new guidelines warn that adults should have …

Women are being ignored in medical trials and reports, according to a report which calls for more Australian medical research to include gender-specific data. Failing to account for the different effects a drug may have on men and women compromises quality of care for women, according to the report published in the Medical Journal of …

The city of Christchurch has welcomed Behrouz Boochani with a civic reception and a traditional Māori mihi whakatau – a formal welcome – as his presence, and liberty, in New Zealand once again underscores the country’s political differences with Australia over immigration. Boochani was formally greeted from the plane by the mayor of Christchurch and …

Josh Frydenberg will argue for reform of major international economic institutions including new trade dispute rules and greater input for “emerging” Asian economies in a speech to be delivered on Tuesday at the Australian National University. In excerpts of the speech, seen by Guardian Australia, the treasurer calls for Australia to play an “active and …

After a 10-year battle by elders and renal health workers in central Australia, the first remote South Australian dialysis clinic officially opened its doors this week at Pukatja (Ernabella), an Anangu community about seven hours south-west of Alice Springs. Seven patients, who were previously living in Adelaide, Port Augusta and Alice Springs for treatment, have …

Two Australians have died in a climbing accident in the Remarkables mountain range near Queenstown in New Zealand. New Zealand police said in a statement on Thursday that 62-year-old Brett Lentfer and 44-year-old James Spaile of Australia died on Wednesday after falling. “Our condolences are with the family and friends of both men,” they said. …

Academics have warned that changes to competition law to shut down environmental boycotts could breach the constitution, as some Coalition MPs are expressing nervousness privately about Scott Morrison signalling a controversial crackdown last week. The attorney-general Christian Porter has nominated activist group Market Forces as the intended target of the Coalition’s efforts to temper activism, …

At a presentation to the Actuaries Institute conference in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, the Private Healthcare Australia chairman, John Hill, will say insurers find it challenging not to pass on the rising costs of medical devices through premium increases. In December, the health minister, Greg Hunt, boasted that the government’s reforms to make private health …